Dorothy White facts for kids
Dorothy White (around 1630–1686) was an English Quaker woman who wrote many short books, called pamphlets, about her religious beliefs. These writings help us understand what Quakers believed during her time, especially about something they called the Inner Light.
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Who Was Dorothy White?
Dorothy White was likely born in Weymouth, a town in Dorset, England. She became a Quaker, a religious group known for its peaceful ways and strong beliefs.
Her Early Writings
Dorothy wrote her first pamphlet in May 1659. It was called A Diligent Search amongst Rulers, Priests, Professors, and People. This writing was quite bold for its time. It spoke out against powerful people and religious leaders. She even wrote: "All you high and loughty [lofty] ones, you fruitless branches, you will the Lord cut down with the Sword of his power."
In this pamphlet, Dorothy also shared that she was briefly put in prison. This happened because she spoke up during a church service in her local area. Her pamphlet was printed and shared in the same year.
Another early writing was A Lamentation unto this Nation; and also a warning to all people, etc. In 1662, she wrote A Trumpet Sounded Out of the Holy City.... This was a difficult time for Quakers and other groups. They faced harsh treatment because they did not follow the rules of the Church of England. Her writings often used ideas from parts of the Bible, like the book of Isaiah and Revelation.
Understanding Quaker Beliefs
Dorothy White's writings are very important because they show us what Quakers believed back then. Some of her writings were even in the form of poems. For example, she wrote about the "Inner Light," which is a key Quaker idea. It means a special spiritual guidance or connection to God that Quakers believe is inside every person. She wrote: "We must be subject unto Light within,/Wherein is known the Cleansing from all Sin;/Subject unto Christ, the Light alone,/Unto the Lamb that sitteth on the Throne;/To the Light within at first we were direct;/The way to Life, Sin to reject:/The True Light we must always obey,/Christ the Life, the New and Living Way/..."
Women's Roles in Quakerism
During Dorothy White's time, Quakers were ahead of other religious groups. They gave women important roles in their movement. This was unusual and sometimes led to more challenges and unfair treatment for Quakers, which continued for many years.
Her Later Work
After about 20 years of not writing, Dorothy White started publishing again in 1684. She wrote several appeals to Quakers, encouraging them to keep their strong beliefs and not become less radical. Some people think she might not have been active as a Quaker during those 20 years.
Her new writings included A Salutation of Love to all the Tender-Hearted, Universal Love to the Lost and The Day Dawned both to Jews and Gentiles. The second one was a mix of prose (like a story) and poetry. Dorothy White is believed to have been the most active female Quaker writer of short books in the 1600s. She wrote about 20 different texts.
Her Final Years
Some historians have wondered if Dorothy White married a wealthy Quaker named John Fincham. However, the Dorothy White who married him in 1681 was from a different town, Thetford. The writer Dorothy White continued to use her maiden name after that date.
Dorothy White passed away in Cripplegate, London, on February 6, 1686. She died from a fever.
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